The ‘Female Boss Feature’ is a series of posts on lovely Cleo’s Instagram feed (check her out here!). Cleo is all about getting women together (think intimate supper clubs and fancy Prosecco brunches!) and empowering them to discover who they are. Follow her for a bit of girl power attitude!
Cleo asked me to take part in her Female Boss Feature months ago and it took me forever to put my answers together. Funny how difficult it is to reflect on what you do and talk about yourself, isn’t it? In the end, I loved doing it so much that I decided to publish it on here too as I think it sums up what I’m all about.
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Mel! If you’re looking for me, I’ll be the one with food in one hand and my camera in the other. Oh, and I’m French, but don’t ever tell me I sound foreign! I started writing my blog when my 3rd baby was diagnosed with a gazillion food allergies, and I quickly found a brilliant community online.
Food and photography are my two passions. I love helping people learn how to take better photos using whatever camera they own, whether it be a fancy DSLR or an old phone. Check out my Instagram feed for phone photography tips.
‘Le Coin de Mel’ is all about food, photography, family life, allergies, crafts, days out and pretty much everything I get up to with my 4 children.
What inspired/motivated you to create your business?
My kids! I left my teaching career of 15 years to focus on my children and reinvent my working life to be completely flexible and fit around my 4 little ones.
What have you learnt on your journey as a business owner?
- You CAN have a job you actually want to get up for and have fun every single day.
- You’re only ever going to get as much as you’re prepared to put into your business.
- There’s no such thing as a day off.
What has been the toughest challenge being your own boss?
The insular nature of freelancing can leave you feeling isolated. Make sure you network so you can build a community around you and never feel alone.
What advice would you give women wanting to start their own business?
Just go for it!
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Starting your own business takes a lot of work, sweat, tears and planning, but being in charge of everything you do is an amazing feeling.
It’s all about baby steps and mindset. If you don’t start, you will never know what great things you could achieve. Start today and you won’t regret it!
Believe in yourself, and if need be, fake it until you make it!
Seven random facts about yourself
- I unexpectedly gave birth to my 4th baby on my bathroom floor.
- My favourite meal is fillet steak with green beans in garlic butter.
- You’ll never see me bowling.
- I was an orienteering champion at high school. I can’t find my way around my own town and always use a SatNav.
- I love the smell of rapeseed fields.
- I am always late and can’t stand people being early.
- I was once stuck in a snow storm on the longest ski piste in Europe whilst pregnant with my second baby.
I find working from home extremely lonely and it really is the worst bit about it. Nice to learn a bit more about you.
It can be tough when you feel lonely. I feel really grateful for all the networking events that get us all together. I don’t think I’d enjoy it that much if I felt all alone in a corner.
Hi! We deal with a lot of allergies round here too. It’s nice to not feel alone with it sometimes, there’s a great community out there. Your photos are beautiful.
Thank you Zoe. Community is everything, right?
Was lovely to get to know more about you! I wish I could successfully run my own business from home, sounds like the perfect set up for parents who want something flexible xz
What a beautiful family you have! And how lovely to learn a bit more about you, thank you for sharing.
Thanks Jenni. I love these four so much and am so grateful I can do what I do around them.
That was an interesting fact about Cleo. I was really shocked about giving birth on a bathroom floor. It was really nice getting to know her.
Oh wow having your 4th baby on the bathroom floor! Go you! Love the questions, your so inspiring to me Mel. Keep doing what your doing
He he, she was in a hurry to meet us all! Even came before the school run 🙂
Oh I adore posts like this, such a creative way to get to know people a little better.
Really well written. I am so proud of being a mum, a blogger, a mummy blogger. Being a mum is one of hardest best wonderful tiring things I’ve ever had to do. I love to spent time with kids.
Me too. It’s amazing to be able to be wear all of these brilliant hats, isn’t it?
I’m always late too, no matter how hard I try! I love reading about the person behind the blog 🙂
🙂